Sunday – Our Day of Rest 4 July

I get up early to a beautiful day of sunshine and after coffee head up to the internet café. The café is not open, which was a blessing as I hear beautiful music and discover that it is coming from the local church. I decide to walk over and sit in the back of the church to admire 4 women singing with one man playing a small, almost toy like piano. Everyone in church is dressed in their Sunday best, singing along, including all of the small children. A man comes over to welcome me and I realize that it is Mr. Sumaye who I don’t recognize at first, he in addition to everyone entering the church welcomes me with a large “Caribo” which is welcome. I stay for an hour listening to the beautiful music and reflecting on what and extrodinary and beautiful week I have had. It has been one after another of experiences I have never had before and will never forget. Some of them not easy but all opening my eyes to a completely different world from which we live.

Restaurants are not typically open on Sunday, so we eat at one of the only ones that are open today before heading up to Lake Babati. The City sits about 6-7 km from Lake Babati, where it is know for its beauty, tranquility and hippos. We walk through town and through a small village to arrive at the Royal Beach Resort – it is resort built to attract tourists – all feeling quite man made and is a place barely occupied except by locals who get dressed up to have a cold drink or beer on a Sunday afternoon with their families are pristinely maintained to create the perfect setting overlooking the lake. Selfishly I am hoping for the Wimbeldon finals to be on but no luck so back to reading my book. We sit basking in the sun, enjoying the lake, watching fisherman go by in wooden canoes and we have a special treat. A hippo swims by, not 20 yards away, raising its head as if to say hello before swimming off. Children gleefully laugh while we attempt to snap photos – just a normal Sunday afternoon in Tanzania.

Just before sunset we walk back where again the light is magical. Outlining people coming back from church or work to join their families for dinner. In the village, houses are crowded with families and neighbors enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon while Samaki – fish fries and ugali and rice are stirred to perfection.

Getting in to town there is the most beautiful sunset where the sun cuts through the dust coming from the soccer field and road, outlining a family walking home, students playing in the field and a biker – gorgeous is the only word to say.

Of course, we head back to Mary’s for spicy samsosas, bega, rice and beans. La La Salama (have a good rest0 as we prepare for the week ahead.